This Mathematics Matters case study looks at how mathematicians are aiding the fight against viruses. Many viruses have a symmetrical structure made from basic building blocks, and biologists have struggled to explain some of the more detailed shapes. Now mathematicians are using complex theories of symmetry to...

The United Nations General Assembly announced that 21st March would be the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and...

This Mathematics Matters case study, from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, looks at how mathematics modelling can aid investigations into the circulatory system. Blood-related diseases can seriously harm patients’ quality of life and even lead to death. Many of these diseases are caused by...

This Mathematics Matters case study looks at how mathematicians work with epidemiologists to understand the spread of infections and mitigate their effects. Epidemics can threaten the lives of both humans and animals, so it is essential that we react swiftly to any outbreaks. Mathematicians play a key role in...

This very successful citizen science project is run annually by the RSPB. It is an ideal opportunity for pupils of all ages to identify different bird species and count the numbers they see in the school grounds. Details about the competition and the RSPB supporting materials can be found...

British ESA astronaut Tim Peake invites UK children to exercise alongside him as he trains two hours a day on the highest and fastest gym in the Universe – travelling at 27,600 km per hour and circling the world every 90 minutes. The triathlon styled challenge encourages schools to create their own ‘spaceathlons...

This Mathematics Matters case study, from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, discusses the importance of statistics and computing to developments in medical research. Sequencing the human genome was a fantastic achievement, but it was only the beginning. Now, statisticians are coming up with new...

This Mathematics Matters case study, from the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, looks at how mathematicians' understanding of knots can help unravel potentially fatal knots in DNA molecules. Understanding how to manipulate tangles of DNA could help us create new treatments for diseases, so...

On World Bee day help to highlight the importance of bees to the environment and humankind with these useful resources which can be linked to a variety of subjects for different age ranges.

They include activities to help identify different species of bee and bee pollinated plants through to resources...